GUIDELINES FOR POSTING ON A BLOG - HOW TO WRITE A DISCUSSION POST:1. You will occasionally be responsible for writing a new post for others to comment on.

2. Your blog post will focus on what is currently being discussed in class. It could include the following information: * Stories we’re reading (plot, character, theme, figurative language worth mentioning, etc…) * Skills we’re working on * A particular Lesson (an analysis of HOW we’re learning something) * The process you are using to accomplish something * A quote from this week’s reading that seems important or memorable to you and why. * A topic you are relating to in class. * An example of something we do as it relates to the world outside of school. * Anything else you’d like to share.

3. Each blog will be scored on completion, quality, and deadline. Blogs will usually be in the work at home category.4. To begin, Blogs will only be seen by class members. How to Comment on a Discussion Post - What should I talk about?

Among the topics you should consider commenting on are: * What do you have in common with the author of the post and the topic he or she wrote about? * What do you agree or disagree with? * Does the post make you read or see things in a different way? If so, why? * If not, what could the author have done differently to make you think a little harder about the topic? * What questions do you have for the author of the post? * Is there something that you can relate to another book you have read or an academic experience you have had? * Can you recall a lesson or how we learned about the topic that the author is mentioning? * Anything else that is applicable to the discussion.Remember to use the proper rules of netiquette while writing a comment. You will be scored on your quality of comment, and this includes engaging in appropriate discussion.

The Netiquette of Commenting on a Blog

Online reading is meant to be very interactive. Just remember that just as there are rules in the classroom when you are responding to someone’s writing and ideas, so are there rules online when you are responding to a blog post or article.

Here are some of the rules to remember when you are commenting on someone’s blog:1. Don’t say anything you wouldn't say in person. Just because you can’t see the author, doesn't mean they don’t have feelings.

2. Don’t hijack the discussion. Stay on topic.

3. Bring something new to the conversation.

4. Nobody likes a know-it-all, smarty-pants. If you have to correct somebody, be polite. And you don’t always need to be the one to correct people. Think of it like class: if all the students corrected each other every time someone misspoke or mispronounced, nobody would feel comfortable speaking out loud. It’s the same online: if people were to point out every mistake and spelling error (unless that’s the point of the activity), then nobody would read the deeper content or write comfortably.

5. Make your tone clear. Try not to use humor or sarcasm; they don’t always go over well, even if you are the best writer ever. Use emoticons or write what the audience might see at that moment (i.e. shrug, wince) to communicate your message clearer. 6. Don’t write anonymously. 7. Cite your sources with links. If you mention a resource, link the words to the resource or provide the website for others to refer to.8. Paste Quotes into your comment field. If you are commenting on a quote within the post, copy and paste the quote into your comment field and then comment on it below so that the readers don’t have to scroll back up to the original article.9. Don’t comment when you are emotional. If you are angry with someone for posting something, calm down before writing something that will forever be accessed by people for the rest of time. A good rule of thumb is to give it a day and then return to the post. Maybe even write a draft of your comment, let it lie for 24 hours, and then you can always cut and paste it into the comment field if you still believe it represents you well.10. Don’t fan a flash fire. A flash fire is when someone says something inflammatory and then people jump on the bandwagon, fanning the flames even more. If you ever see it happening, don’t jump in and the fire will burn out quicker. If there is a moderator, drop them a line letting them know it’s happening. It will defuse it all even faster.